On This Day — 11 March

11 March 1972: Camilla Rountree and David Phillips (Bellbird)

11 March 1972: Leonard Teale, George Mallaby, Mike Preston, Alwyn Kurts (Homicide)

11 March 1978: Tony Alvarez and Judy McBurney (The Young Doctors)

11 March 1978: Graham Kennedy (Blankety Blanks)

11 March 1989: Jason Donovan (Neighbours)

11 March 1995: Georgie Parker (Fire) and Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers)

11 March 2006: Amy Mathews and Chris Hemsworth (Home And Away)


11 March 1960: New TV station — ABS2, Adelaide — TV At 60: TV comes to Adelaide [2019]

11 March 1969: The premiere of Nine‘s new police drama Division 4, starring Gerard Kennedy, Chuck Faulkner, Frank Taylor, Terence Donovan, Ted Hamilton and Patricia Smith — 50th anniversary of Division 4 [2019]

11 March 1978: ABC debuts variety series Marcia Hines Music, featuring the Queen of Pop with guest appearances by actor John Waters and singer-songwriter Doug Ashdown.


YouTube: aussiebeachut0

11 March 1988: Daryl Somers hosts the 30th annual TV Week Logie Awards from the Hyatt On Collins, Melbourne. Neighbours star Kylie Minogue won four awards on the night, including the Gold Logie — TV Week Logie Awards — 25 years ago [2013]

11 March 1991: ABC debuts its new rural affairs program Landline, screening every weekday.

11 March 1992: ABC presents a 90-minute special, La Stupenda, a unique portrayal of Dame Joan Sutherland combining interviews, archival footage and performances. Dame Joan and her husband Richard Bonynge talk about their life in opera, while close friends and colleagues reminisce about Sutherland’s remarkable career spanning 42 years.

11 March 1993: With coverage of the Federal Election on the coming Saturday, Hey Hey It’s Saturday is shifted to Thursday for this week. The special three-hour program includes live crosses to Elton John in concert at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

11 March 1996: After The Beep, a new seven-part comedy series on ABC debuts. Starring Genevieve LemonGenevieve MooyKerry Walker and Emily Weare. 

11 March 2002: The premiere of Fox8 drama series Crash Palace, starring Dieter Brummer, Tory Mussett, Toby Truslove, Simone McAullay, Jenni Baird, Kristy Wright and Jessica Gower.

11 March 2006: ABC begins daily highlights coverage of the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, from Torino, Italy.


Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-11-march.html

On This Day — 10 March

10 March 1973: James Laurenson (Boney)

10 March 1979: Julieanne Newbould, Michael Smith, Victoria Nicolls (The Restless Years)

10 March 1990: Mark Mitchell (TV Week Logie Awards)

10 March 2007: Amy Mizzi and Chris Hemsworth (Home And Away)


10 March 1967: New TV station — BTW3, Bunbury, Western Australia — GWN7 turns 50 [2017]

10 March 1983: After six years and 1114 episodes, The Sullivans comes to an end in a movie-length episode — 40 years since The Sullivans [2016]

10 March 1991: Seven screens the first of the two-part children’s mini-series Ratbag Hero, starring Cameron Nugent, Elaine Smith, Peter Fisher, Marcus Graham, Gus Mercurio and Simon Chilvers. Ten debuts a new late-night sports program, Sports Week, hosted by Eddie McGuire and Stephen Quartermain.

10 March 1993: Andrew Denton covers the Just For Laughs International Comedy Festival in the 90-minute special The Money Or The Gun On The Road: The Funniest City In The World on ABC.

10 March 1996: The Australian Formula One Grand Prix is live from its new home at Albert Park, Melbourne. Ken Sutcliffe and Jackie Stewart host Nine‘s coverage, which includes commentary by Alan Jones, Darrell Eastlake, Murray Walker and Jonathan Palmer. Background reports are provided by Anne-Maree Sparkman, Geoff Hutchinson, Mary Gearin and Eddie McGuire.

10 March 2002: Network Ten airs the telemovie Heroes’ Mountain — the story about Stuart Diver (played by Craig McLachlan), survivor of the 1997 Thredbo landslide, and the team that rescued him.

10 March 2004: ABC debuts The New Inventors, reviving the long-running format known as The Inventors in the 1970s, with host James O’Loghlin.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-10-march.html

On This Day — 9 March

9 March 1991: Julie McGregor and Simone Buchanan (Hey Dad); Penny Cook and Tony Martin (E Street)

9 March 1996: Nicky Buckley (Sale Of The Century) and Catriona Rowntree (Getaway)

9 March 2002: Martin Dingle-Wall (Home And Away), Lisa Chappell (McLeod’s Daughters), Stephen Hunt (Neighbours), Michala Banas (Always Greener), Sibylla Budd (The Secret Life Of Us)


9 March 1966: Jimmy Hannan‘s new weekly variety show Jimmy debuts on Sydney’s TEN10. The show makes its debut in Melbourne, where it is produced at ATV0, the following night.


YouTube: Petarkco’s Media Archive

9 March 1990: Mark Mitchell hosts the 32nd annual TV Week Logie Awards on Network Ten, from the Hyatt On Collins, Melbourne. Former Neighbours star Craig McLachlan was awarded the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television — TV Week Logie Awards: 25 years ago [2015]

9 March 1992: The 7.00pm battle between Home And Away and Neighbours, started in January, comes to an end with Neighbours making the sudden move to the 6.30pm timeslot. The shift sees Ten’s current affairs program Hinch take over at 7.00pm – the timeslot he previously held over at Seven – and US game show Studs move to 6.00pm.

9 March 1997: Ken Sutcliffe hosts Nine‘s coverage of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, live from Albert Park, Melbourne.

9 March 2003: Bill Woods hosts Ten‘s coverage of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, live from Albert Park, Melbourne.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-9-march.html

On This Day — 8 March

8 March 1975: Paul Karo (The Box)

8 March 1980: Stuart Wagstaff (Stuart Wagstaff’s World Playhouse)

8 March 1980: Lorraine Bayly (The Sullivans)

8 March 1997: Tempany Deckert and Kristy Wright (Home And Away)

8 March 2003: Aaron Jeffery and Lisa Chappell (McLeod’s Daughters)

8 March 2008: Conrad Coleby and Jodi Gordon (Home And Away)


8 March 1969: The world title fight between Lionel Rose and Alan Rudkin becomes the highest rated program in Australian television history — Boxer was a TV record breaker [2011]

8 March 1974: Bert Newton hosts the TV Week Logie Awards, live from the Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne, and telecast on Nine. International guests include Gina Lollobrigida, David Cassidy and MacDonald Carey. Gold Logie winners are Graham Kennedy (The Graham Kennedy Show) and Pat McDonald (Number 96).

8 March 1992: Network Ten debuts the two-part mini-series The Other Side Of Paradise, an Australian-UK-NZ co-production starring Vivien Tan (pictured) and Australians Garry McDonald, Jay Laga’aia, Judy Morris, Josephine Byrnes and Su Cruickshank.

8 March 1996: Due to Cricket World Cup commitments over the weekend, Hey Hey It’s Saturday becomes Hey Hey It’s Friday.

8 March 1998: Murray Walker hosts Nine‘s coverage of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, live from Albert Park, Melbourne.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-8-march.html

On This Day — 7 March

7 March 1992: Ray Martin (Midday), Georgie Parker (A Country Practice), Jana Wendt (A Current Affair), Steve Vizard (Tonight Live With Steve Vizard)

7 March 1998: Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers) and Georgie Parker (All Saints)

7 March 2009: Jodi Gordon (Home And Away)


7 March 1975: Bert Newton hosts the TV Week Logie Awards from the Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne — the first Logies to be telecast in colour. Hollywood star John Wayne presented the Gold Logies to winners Ernie Sigley and Denise Drysdale.

7 March 1985: ABC debuts comedy-drama series The Fast Lane, starring Terry Bader, Debra Lawrance, Peter Hosking and Richard Healy. The series was created by John Clarke and Andrew Knight.

7 March 1979: The winner of the 1978 series of Mastermind, John Bond, represents Australia in Mastermind International, debuting on ABC. The series, taped in London, features Mastermind winners from around the world including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Nigeria, Canada and the Republic of Ireland.

The Fast Lane: Terry Bader, Richard Healy

7 March 1992: The Seven Network hosts Olympathon, a nationwide telethon to raise financial support for Australia’s athletic team to compete in the Barcelona Olympic Games.

7 March 1993: ABC broadcasts The Great Debate in the lead up to the 1993 Federal Election, featuring Prime Minister Paul Keating and Opposition Leader Dr John Hewson and moderated by Kerry O’Brien. ABC also begins broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the expansion of overnight programming from Friday and Saturday nights to every night of the week.

7 March 1997: The Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras parade is covered on commercial TV for the first time, with Network Ten screening a highlights package of the previous weekend’s event. Hosted by Tottie Goldsmith.

7 March 1999: The Nine Network telecasts the 1999 Qantas Australian Grand Prix, live from Albert Park, Melbourne. Hosted by Eddie McGuire.


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7 March 2005: ABC launches its new digital-only television channel ABC2 — containing a mix of original programs, such as regional news and information, and ‘time shifted’ content from the main ABC channel — ABC2 turns 10 [2015]


Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-7-march.html

On This Day — 6 March

6 March 1958: The Astor Show

6 March 1968: Nancy Cato (Adventure Island)

6 March 1982: Paula Duncan and Nicholas Eadie (Cop Shop)

6 March 1982: Paula Duncan (Cop Shop)

6 March 1988: Judy Nunn, Nicolle Dickson, Vanessa Downing, Alex Papps, Sharyn Hodgson (Home And Away)

6 March 1993: Christopher Gabardi and Annie Jones (Newlyweds)

6 March 2004: Kate Keltie and Patrick Harvey (Neighbours)


6 March 1985: ABC‘s consumer affairs program The Investigators debuts with reporters Ian Altschwager, Clare Petre, John Hosking and Sonia Humphrey.


YouTube: ARIA

6 March 1992: The ARIA Awards are telecast for the first time, live from Melbourne’s World Congress Centre. Hosted by Richard Wilkins and Julian Lennon, with appearances by John Farnham, Jimmy Barnes, Jenny Morris, Noiseworks, Diesel, Wendy Matthews, Margaret Urlich, Rockmelons, Sophie Lee, Craig McLachlan, Dannii Minogue and international artists Diana Ross, Rod Stewart and Harry Connick Jnr.

6 March 1994: Comedian Jimeoin launches his new Seven Network series, Jimeoin, featuring Glenn Robbins, Bob Franklin, Rachel Griffiths, Daina Reid, Tamara Cook, Angus Smallwood and Brian Nankervis.

6 March 1996: Highlights from the parade at the 1996 Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras airs on ABC.


YouTube: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

6 March 1999: SBS‘ short film compilation series Eat Carpet celebrates its 10th anniversary.

6 March 2000: Sports-based talk show The Fat debuts on ABC, hosted by Tony Squires with panellists Rebecca Wilson and Peter Wilkins.

6 March 2006: Nine airs a delayed telecast of the 78th Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, hosted by comedian Jon Stewart.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-6-march.html

On This Day — 5 March

5 March 1969: Ken James and Garry Pankhurst (Skippy The Bush Kangaroo)

5 March 1994: Gary Sweet (Police Rescue) and son Frank

5 March 2005: Laurie Foell and Ben Unwin (Home And Away)


5 March 1993: The 7th World Youth Championship for soccer’s FIFA/Coca-Cola Cup, staged at the Sydney Football Stadium, is broadcast live on SBS — starting with the Opening Ceremony followed by Game One: Australia versus Colombia.

5 March 1995: British comedian Julian Clary and ABC broadcasters David Marr and Angela Catterns host the one-hour highlights coverage of the 1995 Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras, with Elle McFeast (Libbi Gorr) presenting on-the-street reports from the parade.

5 March 2000: Bob Downe (Mark Trevorrow) and Good News Week‘s Julie McCrossin host Ten‘s delayed coverage of the 2000 Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras.

5 March 2001: The first day for Renaissance Television — daytime programs on Melbourne’s community television Channel 31 aimed at the over-55 audience.

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-5-march.html

On This Day — 4 March

4 March 1967: Les Dayman, Leonard Teale, Jack Fegan (Homicide)

4 March 1970: Kevin Miles (The Link Men)

4 March 1972: Roger Moore (The Saint, The Persuaders), Robert Reed (The Brady Bunch), Gerard Kennedy (Division 4), Juliet Mills (Nanny And The Professor)

4 March 1972: Mike Willesee (A Current Affair)

4 March 1995: Janet Jackson and Kylie Minogue

4 March 2006: The Biggest Loser


4 March 1962: New TV station — NBN3, Newcastle, New South Wales — TV at 60: TV comes to regional NSW [2022]

Come Midnight Monday

4 March 1982: ABC debuts children’s drama Come Midnight Monday, based on the book by David Burke. The seven-part series stars Stephen Comey (Sons And Daughters), Jacqui Gordon (Prisoner), Sally Boyden (Young Talent Time), Tommy Dysart, Tim Blake, Peter Cummins and Julie Hamilton.

4 March 1985: ABC launches The National, a revamped news and current affairs format replacing the traditional 7pm state-based news bulletins and the former current affairs program NationwideThe National, ABC’s $25m news gamble [2015]

4 March 1991: Seven’s long-running game show Wheel Of Fortune celebrates its 2000th episode with John Burgess, Adriana Xenides and voice-over man John Deeks presenting highlights from the show’s past.

4 March 2001: Drama series Head Start, based around a group of young entrepreneurs who are recipients of innovation grants, debuts on ABC.

4 March 2007: ABC screens the concert from The Kylie Showgirl Homecoming Tour, filmed at Kylie Minogue‘s 2006 Melbourne concert at Rod Laver Arena. Sandra Sully hosts Ten‘s special Cool Aid: The National Carbon Test, examining the issue of climate change and featuring interviews with Al Gore and Tim Flannery.


Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-4-march.html

On This Day — 3 March

3 March 1965: Johnny O’Keefe (Sing, Sing, Sing)

3 March 1973: Tony Barber (Temptation / The Great Temptation) and Gail Fisher (Mannix)

3 March 1973: Maurie Fields (Bellbird)

3 March 1979: Joanna Lockwood and Peter Adams (Cop Shop)

3 March 1984: Mike Willesee (Willesee) and Bert Newton (Tonight With Bert Newton)

3 March 1990: Alyce Platt (Sale Of The Century)

3 March 2001: Ryan Kwanten and Ada Nicodemou (Home And Away)

3 March 2007: Kate Ritchie and Chris Sadrinna (Home And Away)


3 March 1975: The first episode of The Graham Kennedy Show for 1975 sparks complaints from the Australian Broadcasting Control Board over Graham Kennedy‘s “crow call” which was sounded to resemble the F-word. The show also attracted complaints from viewers about “general vulgarity and poor taste”.

3 March 1978: The 20th annual TV Week Logie Awards are televised on Nine, hosted by Bert Newton from the Southern Cross Hotel. Special guests include Florence Henderson, Sammy Davis Jnr, Patti Weaver, David Frost, Richard Anderson and Mike Farrell — 1978: TV Week Logie Awards


YouTube: Libraries Tasmania

3 March 1981: ABC premieres two new children’s dramas: Fatty And George, a Tasmanian-made sci-fi series starring Scott Kinloch, Lisa Douglas and Mathew Excell; and The Patchwork Hero, starring Steve Bisley, Damon Herriman, Monica Maughan and Jackie Woodburne.

3 March 1985: After 28 years, the final edition of ABC‘s Weekend Magazine goes to air. The Sunday night program, which began on 11 November 1956 as Sunday Magazine, was the longest running program on Australian television.

3 March 1996: ABC six-part anthology series Naked: Stories Of Men begins with Coral Island, the story of four men gathered at a 20th anniversary dinner at a Jesuit boarding school. Starring Hugo Weaving, Joss McWilliam, Peter Hardy, Lewis FitzGerald, Justin Rosniak, Anthony Hayes and Steve Rodgers.

3 March 2002: The 2002 Foster’s Australian Grand Prix is live on the Nine Network from Albert Park, Melbourne. Commentators include Martin Brundle, James Allen, Alan Jones, Darrell Eastlake and John Watson.

3 March 2005: The Osbournes host the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards Australia, held at Luna Park, Sydney. Performances include Missy Higgins, Grinspoon, Eskimo Joe, The Dissociatives and Simple Plan. The awards are telecast live on MTV with a delayed telecast the following night on Network Ten.


Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-3-march.html

On This Day — 2 March

2 March 1974: Barbara Rogers (Temptation, The Great Temptation)

2 March 1985: Mike Walsh (The Mike Walsh Show) and Ray Martin (Midday)

2 March 1991: Jennifer Keyte and Steve Vizard (Tonight Live With Steve Vizard)

2 March 1996: Melissa George (Home And Away)

2 March 2002: Dan Paris, Kym Valentine, Noah Sutherland (Neighbours)


2 March 1957: Bob Dyer’s Pick-A-Box, a radio quiz since 1948, launches on ATN7, Sydney, and GTV9, Melbourne. It continues until 1971 — 50 years since Pick-A-Box ended [2021]

2 March 1996: The 1996 Federal Election dominates the night’s viewing with coverage across all networks.

2 March 2005: Les Murray hosts the 25th Australian Sports Awards from the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, broadcast on SBS.

2 March 2014: The Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras is televised on SBS2 — the first time on free-to-air television in 12 years.

2 March 2016: Ten resumes high definition simulcast of its primary channel — Ten’s HD message blurring definition [2016]


Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2024/03/on-this-day-2-march.html